Clear turquoise water over shallow reef with the volcanic cone of Manado Tua under a cloudless sky

National park · Manado Bay, Manado, North Sulawesi

Bunaken National Marine Park

Coral walls, turtles and island villages off Manado in North Sulawesi, framed by the cone of Manado Tua

Explore on the map Plan an Indonesia trip

Ambient sound · similar settingWaves breaking on an Indian beach

Photo: Helen G (@helengdesigns) / Unsplash

Discover Bunaken National Marine Park

Bunaken National Park protects the seas of Manado Bay at the northern tip of Sulawesi. Almost all of it is underwater: coral reefs that drop off in sheer walls a few metres from the shore, seagrass beds and mangroves, with five islands rising above the surface. The classic view is of Manado Tua, an extinct volcano whose near-perfect cone appears behind almost every boat ride, beach and sunset.

The park is best known for wall diving and snorkelling. Turtles are frequent companions on the reef, along with schools of reef fish, giant clams and colourful soft corals, and the walls are close enough to the surface for snorkellers to enjoy as well. Small dive resorts and homestays on Bunaken and Siladen make it easy to spend several days on the water, while day trips from Manado take only about 40 minutes by boat.

Don’t miss

01Steep coral walls such as the Lekuan sites off Bunaken, with drop-offs close to the surface
02Frequent encounters with sea turtles, plus Napoleon wrasse and bumphead parrotfish
03Manado Tua, an extinct volcanic cone and the park's highest point at over 600 m
04Siladen, a low coral-sand island with soft beaches and calm snorkelling
05Mangrove forests around Mantehage Island
06Sunsets over Manado Tua from the islands

History & culture

The story of Bunaken National Marine Park

Bunaken was declared a national park in 1991 and is managed under Indonesia's Ministry of Environment and Forestry. It covers about 890 km², of which around 97 percent is marine, and includes the islands of Bunaken, Manado Tua, Siladen, Mantehage and Nain, along with coastal areas on the mainland at Arakan-Wawontulap and Molas-Wori. Indonesia added the park to UNESCO's World Heritage Tentative List in 2005.

The park's waters are home to an exceptional variety of corals and fish. In 2009 the Indonesian coelacanth, a deep-water fish once known only from fossils, was filmed in its natural habitat off Manado Tua. Fishing communities live on several of the islands, and their livelihoods are closely tied to the health of the reefs as diving tourism has grown.

Local life & traditions

The islands are home to fishing communities, and Christianity is the majority faith in North Sulawesi, though mosques and Muslim communities are found in Manado and some island villages. Daily life on Bunaken revolves around fishing, small-scale farming and, increasingly, work in dive centres, homestays and boat services. Manado itself is known for its bold Minahasan cuisine; Muslim travellers should ask for halal restaurants, which are readily available in the city but less certain on smaller islands.

Things to do

Experience it like a local

Divers can spend days exploring the walls and slopes around Bunaken and Manado Tua, where most of the park's roughly twenty main dive sites are found. Snorkellers can see much of the action from the surface, as the reef top is shallow before it plunges away. Many people base themselves on Bunaken or Siladen for a few nights; others combine the park with muck diving in the Lembeh Strait on the other side of North Sulawesi.

Above water, walk Bunaken's village paths, relax on Siladen's beaches or take a boat around Manado Tua. Sunsets behind the volcano are a daily highlight.

When to go

Bunaken can be visited all year, but sea conditions are generally calmer and visibility better in the drier months, roughly from around April to November. The wetter months around December to February can bring rougher seas that make boat crossings less comfortable and reduce visibility. Water temperatures stay warm throughout the year, so the main considerations are wind, waves and rain.

Plan your visit

Verified information

UNESCO status: Bunaken National Park has been on UNESCO's World Heritage Tentative List since 2005. Source: whc.unesco.org ↗
Getting there: Motorboats from Manado take about 40 minutes and depart from Manado harbour, Molas, Kalasey and Tasik Ria beach. Source: indonesia.travel ↗
Public ferry (as published): Public boats to Bunaken usually leave Manado around 2pm depending on the tide (from Pasar Jengki on Sundays), returning from the island around 7 to 8am; confirm locally. Source: indonesia.travel ↗
Islands in the park: The park includes the islands of Bunaken, Manado Tua, Siladen, Mantehage and Nain, plus mainland coastal areas at Arakan-Wawontulap and Molas-Wori. Source: whc.unesco.org ↗

Checked against the sources on 27 October 2026. Opening times and fees can change — confirm before you go.

Travel tips

Use reef-safe sunscreen and never stand on or touch coral; wear fins carefully near the reef.
Ask your dive centre or homestay whether the national park entrance fee is included in your package.
Currents along the walls can be strong; dive with a reputable local operator and follow briefings.
Book boat transfers through your accommodation if you are not taking the public ferry, especially for early departures.
Bring enough cash from Manado, as island ATMs and card payments are limited.
Muslim travellers should confirm halal options with their accommodation before arriving on the islands.

General guidance from our specialists, not official information.

Around Bunaken National Marine Park: food, markets & places to stay

Manado is the gateway city, with Sam Ratulangi International Airport, markets and a wide range of restaurants, including halal options. Dive resorts and homestays are found on Bunaken and Siladen, and many divers also stay on the Manado mainland. The Lembeh Strait near Bitung, the Tangkoko nature reserve and the cool Minahasa highlands around Tomohon are popular add-ons.

Where Bunaken National Marine Park is

All places in Indonesia →

Loading map…

Open larger map ↗

Bunaken National Marine Park in pictures

Jungle-covered karst islets scattered across a turquoise lagoon at Pianemo under a wide blue sky

Island

Raja Ampat Regency, Southwest Papua

Raja Ampat

Hundreds of jungle-clad karst islands and reefs off Papua's western tip, at the heart of the Coral Triangle. Come for Piaynemo's lagoon views, manta rays, rich coral reefs and community homestays.

Explore

Toraja highland valley of green rice fields under low cloud, with a cluster of tongkonan roofs among trees

Heritage

Tana Toraja and North Toraja regencies, South Sulawesi

Tana Toraja

Misty highlands in South Sulawesi where the Toraja people build boat-roofed tongkonan houses and honour their dead with funeral ceremonies, cliff graves and carved tau tau effigies. A place of deep cultural meaning.

Explore

Visit Bunaken National Marine Park on an Indonesia holiday

All Indonesia packages →

Aerial view of curving green rice terraces and palm trees at Tegallalang, Bali

BeachCulture

Indonesia · 10 nights5★ Resort

Bali Temples & Beaches

Ubud rice terraces
Uluwatu temple
Private pool villa

Includes accommodation · private transfers · daily breakfast · guided sightseeing

Indicative from

$2,258 pp

Borobudur temple with its stupas rising above trees under a clear blue sky, Central Java

AdventureNature

Indonesia · 13 nights4★ Hotel

Java, Bali & Komodo Explorer

Borobudur sunrise
Komodo dragons
Mount Batur trek